Over 90 leading tourism and cultural organisations have attended a two-day summit at Titanic Belfast to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the UK’s visitor economy.
The event was organised by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), whose members are made up of the UK’s most popular, iconic and important museums, galleries, palaces, castles, cathedrals, zoos, historic houses, heritage sites, gardens and leisure attractions. They comprise over 2200 tourist sites, hosting over 119 million domestic and overseas visitors each year – around 28% of the visits made annually in the UK.
Representatives in attendance at the summit included Blenheim Palace, Warner Bros. Discovery, the National Trust, National Galleries of Scotland, Roman Baths & Pump Room, the Royal Albert Hall and Westminster Abbey.
Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast said: “It was a pleasure to host ALVA’s Council Meeting and welcome some of the other leading attractions from across the United Kingdom. For us as a world leading visitor attraction, we welcome spending time with industry peers, as it provides us all with the chance to learn from each other and share industry trends – all with a shared mission of enhancing our visitor experience. It also provides a fantastic platform for us to showcase Titanic Belfast and create further awareness of Northern Ireland’s buoyant tourism industry and the opportunities it provides.”
Bernard Donoghue OBE, Director ALVA – The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions commented: “We are delighted to be holding our members conference at Titanic Belfast for the 2nd time in 10 years. Culture and tourism leaders from across the UK will be discussing the ongoing recovery of the visitor economy, the challenges still posed by the ongoing cost of living crisis, funding for culture and tourism, and the importance of culture, heritage and nature in attracting domestic and international visitors. Titanic Belfast is one of the most successful attractions in the UK, refreshing its offer, constantly improving its service to visitors and taking a lead in tourism and culture advocacy that it’s an inspiring place to have our summit.”